Main causes of food crises
In 2025, food crises are worsening worldwide, with Gaza at the center of global concern as the entire population faces acute food insecurity, a condition that puts lives at imminent risk. The situation is made worse by funding cuts that leave humanitarian aid far from adequate.
Beyond Gaza, the most severe food crises are unfolding in Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, Haiti, and Mali. Many other countries are also experiencing acute food insecurity. The drivers are multiple:
- climate shocks – extreme events such as droughts and floods that destroy crops
- economic shocks – soaring commodity prices, global recessions, and supply chain disruptions limiting food access
- conflicts – the leading cause, disrupting food production and distribution
These recurring emergencies reveal a grim pattern. In places where food insecurity is chronic and unresolved, the suffering often escapes global attention. Gaza dominates headlines because of international politics, while crises in Sudan, Yemen, or Mali rarely make the news, leaving millions to die in silence.
GRFC raises the alarm on food crises
The Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2025 September Update delivers a stark warning: since July, Gaza has been in famine, with more than half a million people starving. Sudan also tipped into famine in August 2024.
In every case, conflicts are the main driver of acute food insecurity. Gaza, South Sudan, and Yemen have the world’s highest share of people in catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5), the most extreme level on the global food insecurity scale.
Households at IPC Phase 5 face famine, complete deprivation of food, and inability to meet basic needs despite exhausting all coping mechanisms. Starvation, death, misery, and critical levels of acute malnutrition are evident.
Where food insecurity is worsening
The GRFC highlights how acute food insecurity continues to grow:
- In 2025, food crises remain most severe in Gaza (100%), South Sudan (57%), Yemen (52%), Sudan (51%), and Haiti (51%).
- In terms of absolute numbers, Nigeria (30.6 million), Democratic Republic of the Congo (27.7 million), and Sudan (24.6 million) are among the hardest hit. Yemen (18.1 million) and Myanmar (16.7 million) have now replaced Bangladesh and Ethiopia in the top five. Ethiopia is excluded due to missing data.
- Nutritional crisis data for 2025 covers 24 countries. Thirteen of them report more than 1 million severely malnourished children between 6 and 59 months, with the highest numbers in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Afghanistan. Sudan, Gaza, Yemen, and South Sudan face the most severe nutritional crises in prevalence.
- Global cuts in humanitarian funding raise further alarm. In 2025, official development assistance dropped by 17%, with sharp reductions for food security and nutrition programs. The World Food Programme expects to reach 16.7 million fewer people than in 2024, a 21% decrease.
- By mid-2025, only 27% of requested nutrition funding had been secured. This shortfall means 2.3 million children will go untreated for severe acute malnutrition, potentially leading to 369,000 additional child deaths every year.